(PRESS RELEASE) CAPE CORAL, FL — Bark Your Biz will return to the Global Pet Expo for 2019. The program will be the third Bark Your Biz event, following the successful launch at last year’s GPX and a live program at the Philadelphia Pet Connections Expo in October.
“Shark Tank” has frequently featured and funded pet business entrepreneurs, and the Marcus Lemonis program “The Profit” helped to transform Bentley’s Pet Stuff from a local Chicago chain to a national entity with 84 stores so far. But until Bark Your Biz, there has never been a pitch competition exclusively for pet product entrepreneurs and inventors.
Bark Your Biz was created by Anthony and Amanda Bennie, the founders of Clear Conscience Pet. The Bennies are one of only two couples in the pet care industry to have received both the Pet Industry Icon Award and Women of Influence in the Pet Industry Award.
Bark Your Biz gives brand owners the opportunity to present their new products or services during the Global Pet Expo, the trade show of record for the pet industry. Each entrepreneurs gets the opportunity to “Bark their Biz” in a three minute elevator pitch to the hosts and a panel of pet industry experts. Barkers will then be grilled by the panel, who will score the pitches and products. Three winners will be selected among the Barkers and will be eligible to receive personal consulting sessions from the hosts and panelists, as well as discounts from product and service providers. Consults available will include branding reviews, website evaluations, digital marketing support, ecommerce, and retail penetration strategies.
“We are thrilled that the APPA has invited us to bring BYB back to Global for our third program, and we are looking forward to a bigger and better program, with some fun new twists added,” said co-host and creator Anthony Bennie.
“This year, audience members will be given a chance to comment and ask questions after the pitches, and we feel that will add an exciting new element to the show.”
Video will now be part of the program as well. “This year, besides Podcasting the program audio, we will be videotaping the entire program and posting it on You Tube,” said co-host Amanda Bennie. “Now our Barkers will not only need to have their pitches well-prepared, they need to have a good hair day!”
The Bark Your Biz program is a free opportunity for emerging brands and existing companies launching significant new products to get earned media exposure, while also practicing their pitching skills so they are better prepared to make critical pitches in front of investors and major buyers.
Expert panelists for “BYB III,” the 2019 Global Pet Expo edition, include Phil Chang, the founder of Retail Phil. Phil is a retail strategy consultant and has also been tapped as a 2019 GPX seminar leader. Also joining the panel will be B.C. Henschen, the owner and Founder of Platinum Paws, in Carmel, Indiana. Platinum Paws is a legacy retailer and B.C. also serves on the AAFCO board and writes a monthly column analyzing trends in pet retailing for Pet Product News. Other panelists will be announced soon.
Bark Your Biz is now accepting additional applicants for the Global Pet Expo program. Any company may apply, but only new products released within the past year will be eligible for pitching slots. Rules for participation may be found on the Bark Your Biz web page. Those interested in securing a pitching time slot should immediately contact host Anthony Bennie by emailing anthony@clearconsciencepet.com.
Global Pet Expo is set for March 20-22 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.